Shaun Powell and Jeff Zillgitt discuss Dallas Mavericks new head coach, Dusty May and preview the 2026 NBA Draft
The future is on the clock.Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft tips off tonight (8 ET, ABC/ESPN) — after a trade report overnight that sent shockwaves through the hoops world.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Draft Day Essentials: What you need to know before Round 1 tips off tonight
All-Access: Behind-the-scenes with the 2026 Draft Class before their names are called
Team Needs: Some key questions facing the first five teams on the clock
Family Pride: Carlos Boozer filled with joy for start of son Cameron’s NBA journey
Thirty Years Later: Frames from the night the legendary 1996 Draft class took shape
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Reports: Giannis To Heat – The Bucks are reportedly trading two-time Kia MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas JakuÄŤionis and additional Draft assets.
Reports: Randle To Nets – The Wolves are reportedly sending three-time All-Star Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in 2026 to the Nets in a three-team deal that would also send Nic Claxton to the Bulls. Minnesota would reportedly receive Brooklyn’s No. 33 pick.
Reports: May To Coach Mavs – The Mavericks are reportedly set to hire Dusty May, who led Michigan to a national championship in April, as their next head coach.
Reports: Young To Stay Put – The Wizards and four-time All-Star Trae Young have reportedly agreed to a four-year deal to return to the team.
1. DRAFT DAY IS HERE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The wait is over – the 2026 NBA Draft is here.
The next generation of stars will find new homes tonight as Round 1 of the Draft tips off at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
From the night’s schedule and broadcast coverage to the biggest storylines entering Round 1, here’s your guide to all things Draft Day.
Full Two-Day Schedule
- Round 1: Tonight (8 ET, ABC/ESPN)
- Round 2: Wednesday (8 ET, ESPN)
Round 1 Watch Guide
- NBA Today, Draft Special (3 ET, ESPN): ESPN tips off its Draft coverage with a special edition of “NBA Today,” hosted by Hannah Storm alongside Iman Shumpert, Kendrick Perkins, Seth Greenberg, Brian Windhorst and others
- NBA Draft Red Carpet (5 ET, ESPN): The crew then turns its attention to the red carpet in Brooklyn, where the 2026 Draft class arrives ahead of Round 1
- The Association, Draft Preview (6 ET, NBA TV/NBA App): NBA TV’s “The Association” continues the countdown to Round 1 with Draft analysis, player discussions and the latest buzz from Brooklyn
- NBA Draft, ESPN (8 ET): Malika Andrews hosts ESPN’s Round 1 coverage alongside Jay Bilas, Tim Legler, Andraya Carter and Bobby Marks, with breaking news updates from Shams Charania
- NBA Draft, ABC (8 ET): Kevin Negandhi leads ABC’s distinct presentation of Round 1 alongside Kenny Smith, Jay Williams and Richard Jefferson, joined by special guests including draftees and their families
Trends To Watch: Anticipation for the 2026 Draft has been building for months, with what many experts believe could be one of the deeper classes in some time. From the debate atop the board to a young wave of prospects, here are a few storylines to know entering Round 1.
- AWS Draft Combine Hub: How does this year’s Draft class stack up against past NBA stars? The new 2026 AWS Draft Combine Data Hub turns testing results into insights through historical comparisons and deeper analysis
- Wizards On The Clock: After winning the Lottery with 14% odds, Washington enters the night with the No. 1 pick for the first time since 2010, when the franchise selected John Wall
- The Debate For No. 1: The Associated Press’ Andrew Seligman breaks down four prospects – Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson – in the conversation surrounding the top pick
- Latest Consensus Mock: What do the experts project? NBA.com’s Ben Couch compiles predictions from around the web in his latest Consensus Mock Draft
- Draft FAQ: Need a refresher on how everything works? From the two-night format to recent Draft trends, we’ve got you covered
- Full Order & Prospect List: See all 60 picks in this year’s Draft here and explore profiles for every 2026 prospect here
2. ON THE GROUND WITH THE 2026 DRAFT CLASS
Get to know the young men behind the names you’ll hear called over the next two nights.
The 2026 NBA Draft Media Circuit rounded up this year’s top prospects to introduce the league’s next generation of talent.
- Big Dreams, Big City: Before they take on the NBA, the 2026 Draft Class took on New York
- Coward’s Questions: Grizzlies’ All-Rookie First Team G Cedric Coward helped the prospects feel comfortable as the Media Circuit Player Correspondent
- Skyline Shots: Projected lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. got some work in with NBA trainer Chris Brickley up at The Summit gym
- Fans To Foes: The Draft hopefuls discussed the next step of taking the court against players they’ve idolized, in Shaun Powell’s four Media Circuit takeaways
After all the analysis, metrics and mock drafts, it was time for the players themselves to make their cases for who goes first.
- Best scorer? Best defender? Best style? AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer made their picks, face-to-face
- On-Camera Range: Dybantsa then showed off his passing skills, game face and star-in-the-making smile in his pre-Draft portraits
- Hat To Match: Ahead of putting on a team hat this week, Dybantsa sized up a black NBA cap to match his Draft night suit
Before donning the colors of the teams that draft them, the 2026 Class posed for their pre-Draft portraits.
- Next-Step Bros: Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara reunited and struck this familiar family pose
- Deep Dive: Lendeborg then showed off his “scuba” in solo shots
- What’s Next? Brown Jr.’s go-to pose was a toss-up
- 3-Point Enlightenment: Kingston Flemings tried out some new 3-ball celebration poses
- Game Ready: Darius Acuff Jr. was all business in his portraits
3. ROUND 1 PREVIEW: INSIDE THE TEAMS HOLDING PICKS 1-5
The Draft isn’t just about the prospects – it’s about the teams making the selections.
The first five teams on the clock tonight find themselves at different stages of their build toward contention.
To help you prep for Draft night, NBA.com’s writers broke down each team’s outlook and how the Draft could help address their needs. And don’t worry if your team isn’t in the top five – we have previews for all 30 teams.
Wizards (Picks No. 1, 51, 60)
- After adding All-Stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young midseason – with Young reportedly agreeing to a 4-year deal on Monday – while continuing to develop its young talent, Washington enters Draft Night in a far different position than it did a year ago
- Now holding the No. 1 pick for the first time since 2010, the Wizards have an opportunity to add another cornerstone piece to their long-term vision. But who will it be?
Jazz (Pick No. 2)
- After winning 22 games last season, the Jazz enter Draft Night with All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the front court, surrounded by a young core that includes Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh
- With its first top-2 pick since 1980, Utah has a chance to add an immediate difference-maker. Does it boost an already strong front court? Add a go-to scoring wing? Or pair George and Collier with another playmaking guard?
- After winning 22 games last season, the Jazz enter Draft Night with All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the front court, surrounded by a young core that includes Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh
- With its first top-2 pick since 1980, Utah has a chance to add an immediate difference-maker. Does it boost an already strong front court? Add a go-to scoring wing? Or pair George and Collier with another playmaking guard?
Grizzlies (Picks No. 3, 16, 32)
- An injury-riddled season saw Memphis use 33 different players and miss the postseason, with only three Grizzlies appearing in more than 55 games
- Memphis has options, holding three picks in the top 32. Could the Grizzlies use the No. 3 pick to help fill the void left by Jackson Jr., or address another area as they retool their roster?
Bulls (Picks No. 4, 15, 38, 56)
- Chicago enters Draft Night with a new lead decision-maker in executive Bryson Graham and a new head coach in Tiago Splitter, signaling a franchise reset
- The Bulls are the only team with two picks in the top 15, and could look to build around Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, both coming off breakout seasons
- Does Chicago target the best talent available at No. 4, regardless of position? Or prioritize a prospect who fits alongside its existing young core?
Clippers (Picks No. 5, 36, 52)
- After a historic turnaround – overcoming a 6-21 start to finish above .500 and reach the SoFi Play-In Tournament – the Clippers emerged as one of the biggest Draft Lottery winners, landing the No. 5 pick via Indiana
- LA doesn’t fit the typical profile of a team picking in the top five. Adding size for the 29th-ranked rebounding team would help, but the Clippers could also add another playmaker in a Draft brimming with guard talent. Or could they explore moving back for more capital?
4. FAMILY PRIDE: CARLOS BOOZER ON SON CAMERON’S NBA FUTURE
A 6-foot-9 forward, just like his father, 13-year NBA vet Carlos Boozer.
A “standout playmaker” with “impressive range as a shooter.”
The Draft profile on projected first-round pick Cameron Boozer shows just how much the game has changed since his dad patrolled the paint 11 years ago.
“He’s got a lot more game to him. He can come off the dribble and do all this side-step, new-era stuff,” Carlos said of Cam.
“I didn’t have that in my bag, but it’s fun to watch him do what he does, at his size, with his IQ.”
As NBA.com’s Krysten Peek writes, the Boozers’ path back to the NBA has been filled with fun, joy and pride, as Cam follows in Carlos’ footsteps:
“I got the chills so many times watching my kids wear the same [Duke] jersey I wore 25 years ago and they were excelling and playing outstandingly,” Carlos said …
“I’m so proud of him. It’s hard to put it into words.” | Read More
5. THIRTY YEARS LATER: FRAMES FROM THE ICONIC 1996 DRAFT
Tonight (8 ET, ABC/ESPN), 30 young men will hear their names called and take the first step in their NBA journeys.
Thirty years ago, another Draft class experienced that same moment – one that would produce five Hall of Famers, 11 NBA champions and some of the defining stars of its era.
As NBA.com’s Jeff Zillgitt revisits the legacy of the 1996 Draft, our photo gallery looks back at the night it all began.
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